Sunday, December 5, 2010

THE RISE OF THE POWER VEGANS

A RISING NUMBER OF AMERICA’S POWERFUL BOSSES HAVE BECOME VEGAN

USA (www.businessweek.com) - A growing number of America’s most powerful bosses have become vegan. Steve Wynn, Mort Zuckerman, Russell Simmons, and Bill Clinton are now using ‘tempeh’ (a traditional soy product) to assert their superiority. As are Ford Executive Chairman of the Board Bill Ford, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, venture capitalist Joi Ito, Whole Foods Market, Chief Executive Officer John Mackey, and Mike Tyson. “CEOs are smart. There just hadn’t been enough exposure for people to glom onto this trend,” says Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). “The information is everywhere now. Instead of ‘Better buy this blue chip,’ it’s ‘Better eat vegan.’” For some, veganism is a moral imperative. In 2000, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone went to visit Farm Sanctuary, an animal rescue organization with a location in upstate New York, and returned a vegan.

Farm Sanctuary’s board includes a number of powerful vegans, including Tom Anderson, a former partner at McKinsey and CEO of college financing company Upromise.While veganism’s image remains associated with indie rock stars, such as Moby, it also counts among its newest converts ex-NBA star John Salley, Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, former National Hockey League brawler Georges Laraque, professional poker player Daniel Negreanu, mixed martial artist Luke Cummo, and, less recently, pop star Madonna.

Many famous vegans through their careers or by spreading their veganism are influencing the masses in order to make a lifestyle change to go towards a cruelty-free diet. In relation to milk products, it is necessary to clarify the following: In an ideal society, milk products should not be directly the cause of cruelty to animals, because people take care of them nicely in order to obtain milk, as it is commonly done in India. However, nowadays the modern dairy industry is quite cruel to cows and keeps them under bad conditions to improve the production; so in a big city it is practically impossible to obtain dairy products free from cruel actions done to cows. As regards eggs, it is well known that they have too much cholesterol.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

In its 1996 position paper on vegetarian diets, the American Dietetic Association reported that vegan and vegetarian diets can significantly reduce one’s risk of contracting heart disease, colon and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions. Cows’ milk contains ideal amounts of fat and protein for young calves, but far too much for humans. And eggs are higher in cholesterol than any other food, making them a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease. Vegan foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fiber and nutrients. Vegans can get all the protein they need from legumes (e.g., beans, tofu, peanuts) and grains (e.g., rice, corn, whole wheat breads and pastas); calcium from broccoli, kale, collard greens, tofu, fortified juices and soymilks; iron from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products; and B12 from fortified foods or supplements.